Cyclocross Hawke's Bay 2016CX5 - Blackbarn Vineyards

The golden glow of spring sunshine bathed rows of grapes in sunlight at Black Barn for the fifth and final race of the 2016 Cyclocross Hawke's Bay series.

The weather, wintry for the last few weeks, was warm and pleasant, while the wintry rains had left enough moisture around to make racing slippery combined with an undulating course that left legs aching and lungs searing.

First off, on a longer than usual course was the under 7 kids, and it was fantastic to see how far some of these youngsters have come in terms of bike confidence and handling skills over the duration of the series. From "balance bikes" to “gear bikes” everyone was excited to go through the mud, down the hills and up the other side, and there were plenty of smiling faces, although some pretty red and tired ones too, at the finish line.

Tommy Nation has won the last 3 races in the Arataki Honey 7 and under class, but today he took a tumble on the final lap, and while he showed some great resilience in getting up and back on the bike, he was unable to catch back up to Monty Stewart who slipped through for a well-deserved win, Frank Nicholls rounding out the top 3.

The girls race was won by Georgia Mill, who showed a clean pair of wheels to hold off Francesca York and Charlotte Mclaren.

In the Arataki Honey 10 and under class, Ben Gray has dominated the last two events, and he lead from start to finish again today, ahead of Lachine Leitch, and Casey Thompson. The best kids racing all year however, both in terms of numbers, and competitiveness, has been the girls under 10, and today once again showed some sensational riding. Lola Nicholls was the fastest out of the gate, and at the bell lap it looked like she might be able to take another wire to wire finish, but not was Amy York who took the lead, and she was able to hold on despite a spring up the final straight, and take the win by the tightest of margins, the 3rd different winner in as many races. Kate Mclaren and Amy Nichol were close behind them for 3rd and 4th; girls taking 2nd, through 6th on the line for the under 10’s overall.

Mens B grade racers have spent most of the series chasing 13yr old Max Williams, and today was no exception, the talented young rider led from start to finish on a testing course, ahead of a fast finishing Josh Achten, and Brent Symes. He struggled somewhat in spraying the bubbly on the podium, but the way this young man rides a bike, he is sure to get plenty of practise in the future.

In the women’s, Kirsty Mccallum was able to keep clear of series lead Hayley Davis, and hold on for a well-earned win, while Rachael Nicholls made the most of plenty of running section on the course to finish 3rd.

Men’s A grade was the final event of the day, and while there was a mathematical chance that Gary Hall could be overtaken in the series, he made even that redundant with a dominant performance, lapping almost all of the men’s field bar 3 or 4 competitors and taking out the win. Fresh from a classy second place at the National Championships, Sam Gardner was full of riding, for second while under 23 rider Gareth Cannon had a strong race for 3rd place after a fast start.

Once again the series has been popular with adults and kids, both competitive and social, and Black Barn proved an ideal location for the finale, as competitors enjoyed traditional Belgian fare, with mulled wine and hot chips, at the finish.

Racing will be back in 2017.

Cyclocross Hawke's Bay 2016 CX4 - Bruins Race Track

Muddy Racing, but Hall shows clean pair of heels.

Swirling gusty westerlies, and showers were the order of the morning as competitors arrived for the 4th Race in the Cyclocross Hawke's bay series, hosted on a purpose built cyclocross cross in Bridge Pa. Willem Bruins, course builder and designer, had put up his home grown race track for competitors to use, and everyone was eager to see what surprises were in store.

While it looked like authentic Belgian cyclocross weather might become the order of the day, by the time the start was due, the winds seemed to ease, and the sun cast a warming golden glow on the course as registration opened and children and adults alike warmed up over the course.

First to start where the Arataki Honey under 8’s, and with previous round winners Tommy Nation and Lance Hunt both in attendance, everything pointed towards some hot racing. From the start though, it was Nation who showed out first and was able to steadily pull away from both Hunt and the rest of the field, leaving a 3 way tussle for third, whereGeorge Footeeventually edged out Frank Nicholls.

The girls race was comfortably won by Charlotte Mclaren who also had a wire to wire win, taking out the race from Lara Nicoll; Francis Yorkfinishing in third.

The Arataki Honey 8-10 field had another large girls field, and this age category has proven to be the most hotly contested this season. It was however Benjamin Gray who managed to clear away, and take overall line honours. Lola Nicholls has won the previous 3 events, but after a fast start she faded and it was a great tussle between Kate and Anna Mclaren and Amy Nicholl. The only constant was the changing of positions and over the ramps and into the finish line it Was Amy Nicoll who took out the title from Kate and Anna.

The A grade men were champing at the bit too hit this hard and fast track, and the surprise of a few hundred gallons of water let out into the sink pits didn’t appear to put anyone off. Kieran Foley had a blinding first lap, starting faster than a hungry fox after a rabbit, but 2 laps in, and it was Gary Hall who seemed to effortlessly ease his way to the front again, and once there, was never threatened. Foley ended in a tough tussles with last rounds winner; Palmerston North residentSam Gardner, Gardiner edging him out for second place.

Womens B grade was again dominated by Hayley Davis, who lead from the daughter and mother pairing of Rebecca Clark and Kareen Mathers.

The B grade men, saw the course builder and designer Bruins use his home ground knowledge to good effect, comfortably taking out a win against Kieron Batt, and Jonny Clapcott.

At the end of a great mornings racing, everyone was buzzing about having the privilege to race on a home made purpose built and well groomed course, which was a winner with children and adults alike.

Good luck to all the Hawke's Bay riders heading to Huttcross this weekend for the National Champs.

The final race of the series, is at Black Barn vineyards in 2 weeks, on August the 14th.

Cyclocross Hawke's Bay 2016 CX3 - Riverside Park, Taradale

Palmerston North Duo Shine in Mud.

It took until round 3 of the Cyclocross Hawke's Bay 2016 series, but finally the rain came, and brought with it a muddy track for the first time this season. It was classic cyclocross racing with mud, rain, jumps and cowbells to deal with for those competitors who chose to brave the elements.

The weather also brought with it some intense, and competitive racing, with closely fought duels in almost every division keeping a damp but raucous crowd thoroughly entertained.

A brief and squally rain shower arrived just as the 7 and under kids took the start line, but it didn't dampen their enthusaism for riding their bikes; as one 7 year old said post race, "it's more fun in the mud". Tommy Nation and Charlotte Mclaren were both wire to wire winners in their events, tackling, mud, trails puddles and each other around a short, fast, twisting circuit.

The 8 and over race saw a big pack of riders together after the first lap, before Ben Gray gradually eased away to a comfortable win. In the girls race the leaders were all together in 2nd through 5th place, with the lead changing virtually every lap. It was the last trip along the single track that decided the race, Lola Nicholls just edging out Amy Nicoll, Kate Mclaren and Amy York, a blanket could have covered all 4 at the finishe line.

B grade men saw Brent Simes get off to a flyer, and while his lead was gradually coming down after each lap, in the end the chasing duo of Steve Charles and Kieron Batt ran out of time to reel him in.

Womens B grade was a real tussle between Hayley Davis and Kirsty Mcallum, they were locked together for the entire race until Mcallum was able to take advantage of a slipped gear change just before the last obstacle and sneak through to claim a hard fought win.

Mens Series leader Gary Hall was again the favourite to take line honours, but after a very fast start it was the Palmerston North duo of Sam Gardner and Gareth Cannon that took charge of the race. Gardner was soon a lone leader, with Cannon and Hall chasing in a group that included Ben Earnshaw, and Dan Warren. Thats how it stayed, everyone searching for a mistake from another rider that might yield some time, but no-one cracking under the pressure of a fast muddy and testing course.

It turned out a shared car ride From Palmerston North that morning was an opportunity the visitors took to share race tactics, and they were able to execute those perfectly and take a well earned victory and keep the series alive.

Cyclocross Hawke's Bay 2016 CX2 - Paritua Vineyards

Photo credit - http://cyclenation.co.nz

Lack of rain, and sunny skies have been the feature of the Hawkes Bay weather in the past months, and it was an unusually dry and dusty course around the stunning vista’s of the Pariatua vineyards that stood out as a feature of round 2 in the Cyclocross Hawkes Bay series.

The Arataki Honey kids races were held with another large field took on a winding and challenging course, complete with a kids version of a cyclocross jump, and there were plenty of wide smiles, as the Under 7’s took on the winding path along the creek. BMX’s, mountain bikes and balance bikes were all mixed in together, and Tommy Nation showed a fast finish to overhaul Frank Nicholls and take out the title. Isabella Kerr, in her first race was all smiles to edge out Georgie Hannah for the girls.

The under 10’s was over the same course, and was a flat our drag race between Lachie Leitch, Lola Nicholls and Casey Thompson. Lachie was able to hold out the others and they stayed in that order till the end.

In the A and B grade races, the course featured creek crossings, cross steeples and dismounts, but despite some cold toes in the frigid water, there was no complaints at the finish line. In B grade, Hayley Davis was all class, taking out the womens title ahead of Laura Bickers and Rachael Nicholls. The Mens B grade saw local youngster Max Williams benefitting from some mid week training sessions with local coaching legend Ivar Hopman as he dominated the race from Jonny Clapcott.

A large field of A graders took to the start line with plenty of challengers from Taupo, Wellington and Hawkes Bay ready to try and break local legend Gary Hall’s stranglehold on the series. After one lap there were still 7 riders in a tight lead pack, Sam Gardiner, Cameron Paul, Gareth Cannon, Ben Earnshaw, Hall, Steve Nicholls and Patrick Crowe Rishworth, all fighting for position. Gradually Hall and Gardiner emerged as the stronger riders, and eventually Hall was able to forge clear and take a comfortable victory. Nicholls edged out Paul on the last lap for the minor placing.

​A big thank you must go to Paritua Winery for hosting the event and providing some excellent prizes, in the form of their local vintages.

Cyclocross Hawke's Bay 2016 CX1 - Romanes Drive

Record Numbers were on show under sunny skies at the Romanes Drive reserve for round one of the cyclocross Hawke's Bay 2016 series.

A competitive field in the A grade race saw pre race favorite and defending champion Gary Hall end up in a tussle with fast starting Cameron Paul, and Gareth Cannon. Hall bided his time, working his way through the field, and as early leader Cannon faded, he was able to exert his dominance and clear out to a comfortable win from Cannon. There were a few early spills too, with race organisers Dan Warren, and Steve Nicholls both putting on a spectacular show flipping themselves and their bikes in the first lap.

The B grade field was dominated by Flynn Fiero, who edged out youngster Max Williams, and Duncan Wallace. In the women's race, Hayley Davis showed a clean pair of heels, and even a late crash wasn't enough to slow her down, as she earned the points, ahead of Rachael Nicholls, and Laura Bickers.

First up though, it was the madness of 50 under 7 children, taking to a track that included parts of the BMX course. It was great to see so many children trying out something that put them outside of their comfort zones. Nervous faces turned into beaming smiles as kids aged 3-7 bolted around the track, many with Mums and Dads in tow.

The Under 10's ripped up a slightly more challenging course; Lachiel Leitch lead from start to finish, holding on from a fast finishing Lola NIcholls, who had a great tussle with namesake Amy Nicholls, just managing to edge her out at the finish.

The next race is at the picturesque Paritua Vineyards, 19 June.​

2015 Cyclocross Hawke's Bay Round 1 - Havelock North Domain

They say Cyclocross is a winter sport, a muddy sport, but in Hawkes Bay we are continually fortunate to have blue skies above and frosty mud under foot. With the first race of the 2015 series held at the Havelock North Domain, the course organisers were faced with a blank canvas consisting of a skate bowl, a flat grassy paddock, some bark, and a tree lined perimeter.

Kevin Welsh who is now the "official spiral of doom" creator used his untapped skills and years of boring physics learnt from his high school days to deploy what is been described as our best spiral yet!

Racing kicked off with record numbers in The Shot Coffee Cart sponsored kid’s grades. This event is a free event for the kids, with all kids receiving lollipops at the completion of racing. These events are always a great spectacle watching the faces of the determined future generation race around the track.

The 45min race featured the most competitive field to date. With NZ Mountain Bike rep Gareth Cannon up from Palmerston North taking the hole-shot and leading for the first lap. A strong charge over the first set of barriers from Dan Warren put him in the lead and which he didn't relinquish for the rest of the race. Leading from the front and out of trouble played dividends on this tight, technical course as a close fought tussle behind between Gary Hall, Taupo's Cameron Paul, Kieran Foley and Steve Nicolls, all swapping positions for the next 16 laps of the 2km course. Top Female home was local Nat Kerwin.

Taupo young gun Flynn Fierro once again displayed skills above his years to take victory in the 30min race fending off former mountain biker and Karapoti Classic champion Cliff Flellingham. Stephen Hulena round out the podium after a strong performance, and improving on last year’s results. Top female and back racing off road again was Bridget Lodge.

Next race is to be held on Sunday 21 June at Tait road, Eskdale Mountain Bike Park. TheLiv Cycling New Zealandcrew will be coming to Hawke's Bay for a ladies skills class to be held the day before, Saturday 20 June, 1pm Tait road, Eskdale MTB Park.

Cyclocross Hawkes Bay Round 6 -Blackbarn VineyardsThere wouldn’t be many cyclocross races that start in an underground wine cellar but those hardy competitors that braved mud bath for the final CXHB event held at Black Barn on Sunday can tick that off their list. Finally, after a mixed bag of relatively mild temperatures and conditions over the season we had a true wet, slippery, mud filled race where the competitors emerged unrecognisable and bikes needed more than a quick hose after completing the multiple laps of the course.The course – an oldie but a goodie, was slightly altered by the team to keep everyone on their toes and made it challenging (but still fun) for all involved. A new spot of uphill running kept everyone puffing hard and the olive grove was a real grind as riders negotiated the race accompanied with the occasional downpour. World Junior Track Champion Regan Gough impressed in his first ever cyclocross race after a successful track season. He held on strongly behind the dominant force of Gary Hall but slowed towards the end of the 45min A grade race. Credibly Regan still finished in second ahead of Kieran Foley who had a great season of racing.In the popular “fun” B grade event, Guy Strang relished the mud and backed up his previous high placing’s with another first. Not far behind were Stephen Hulena and Chris Shaw.This race concluded the series and resulted in double points so winners were presented with special CXHB medals and confectionary rewards. Special mention goes to Ben and Kiri Gouldbrough in the award for most consistent under 15 riders. These two (and their committed parents) never failed to perform in each and every CXHB event and showed true grit and determination to complete very tough courses! Awesome effort guys!Until next season, keep up the training, and we will see you then!Special thanks again to our supporters. Ramblers Cycling Club, Hawke’s Bay Mountain Bike Club, Specialized New Zealand, The Hub Cycle Centre, SportHB, VW Print, The Shot Coffee.

2014 ENDURA CYCLOCROSS NATIONAL CHAMPS

They say Cyclocross is a winter sport, and during course practice on the Saturday afternoon you would have agreed with that, as a stiff cold southerly wind was blowing up the side of the panoramic Roy’s Hill Reserve and creating havoc with the marked out course tape. Race day came with a clear blue Hawke’s Bay sky and a -3 degree overnight frost on the ground. Everyone was in for a exciting days racing. The course this year varied a lot from what most riders had ridden previously. It was designed to be a fast power rider’s course, with four short commanding hill climbs, a fast 4wd track section, and great spectator viewing and heckling areas. This was enhanced by the music pumping from the speakers and the smell of The Shot Coffee cart producing tasty beverages for the fans.

Cyclocross Hawke’s Bay again hosted the National champs this year, after hosting the New Zealand champs 2 years previous. With the number of cyclocross bikes and competitors continually growing down under, this challenging sport is the “new black” for winter sports. There was over 120 entries throughout the grades, which also featured two kids races and an All-comers event designed for the rider who wanted to challenge themselves on the gruelling course and see what all the fun of cross is about. Cyclocross is a family friendly event, with most clubs hosting kids grade up to the A grade Elite level.

Brendan Sharratt, displayed a powerful ride to claim the Open Men’s race, after being challenged early on by 2012 National Champion Gary Hall. Brendan got to work to establish a lead after the 4th lap that would not be compromised. Gary Hall fought valiantly to hold onto 2nd place, from the late charging and 2013 national champion Alex Revell AKA “De Snor” or The Moustache as his Belgium based fan club have proudly named him. Sharratt’s average speed for the race was over 25kph, which proved the speed and strength of the worthy winner. Also included in the combined field were the Masters 1 men, with local Hawke’s Bay rider Steve Nicolls taking the win, despite suffering a late fall over the barrier section. This lead to Mike Greaves, pulling away from Nicolls with 3 laps to go, until he succumbed to the pressure of the course and Nicolls passing him again to ride away for the win. 3rd place was won by Taupo’s Alex Fierro. The Under 19 male were won by top junior mountain biker, Gareth Cannon, who used his off road skills and strength to take the national title. He was followed in by Ben Mcleod and Johnathan Barnes. The Under 23 men’s title was won by Hawke’s Bay local Mike Garrity in convincing circumstances.

The Open Woman’s race was lead by former National Champ Kim Hurst, who challenged most of the Masters 2 and 3 men competing alongside her. Kim is no stranger to pain or mud, competing throughout the year at 24 hour MTB events, and used this as build up to her next challenge of the world 24hour champs next month. In a hot contested 2nd place Natalie Kirwan from Hawke’s Bay took the only sprint finish of the day from Paula Hasler who travelled up from Dunedin, after being together for most of the race. Kirwan is new to cyclocross competing in only her 3rd cyclocross event. Wellington rider Martine Barnes took out the under 19 women’s race with a strong performance, from local Kiri Gouldsbrough.

The Masters 2 and 3 fields produced the biggest fields of the day. And judging by the speed and calibre of the riders in the grades, the race would certainly produce creditable winner. With last year’s Masters winner, Dunedin’s Paul Gough in the field. This time round Gough had to settle for a solid 2nd, with strong road rider Rob Kilvington rising to the top to claim his 1st National Cyclocross title. 3rd place was taken by Shane Eagar. The Masters 2 raced in a combined staggered start field, with Cyclocross addict Ben Knight claiming his 1st National Cyclocross jersey. Jonty Ritchie and Bryce Lorcet rounded out the podium.

Cyclocross Hawke’s Bay will hold their final event of the season at Blackbarn Vineyards, on Sunday 31 August.

Cyclocross Hawkes Bay Round 4 - Hawkes Bay Showgrounds

A cold crisp day greeted the keen Cyclocross Hawkes Bay racers today as they took on the course at the Hawkes Bay Showgrounds. Those building to the Nationals in two weeks’ time made the most of the flat course to get some speed into the legs. Riding in an anti-clockwise direction, the course utilised many trees on the picturesque grounds as the A and B graders zigzagged their way around the course. Some off-camber sections behind a building didn’t slow the skilled riders but required some concentration as the lines became a bit greasy and caught many by surprise. The main feature of the course, and where most of the spectators gathered was the “lump and ditch” which had some soft sand to test the technique. A few running taps around the stock yards made the compulsory mud pit a bit of fun and finishing off with a spiral made it a varied and enjoyable course for everyone. Some riders were lucky enough to get cash prizes handed out on course by the famous local CX Heckler. B grade is definitely the grade to be in with 29 riders gunning for the first corner – it seems that the start is a crucial point in a relatively short race as riders sort themselves out when the narrow sections limit the room on the course. While the open stretches gave those on cyclocross an advantage (arguably) the mountain bikers may have found that their wide tyres and smaller gears helpful on the ditch crossings. Flynn Fierro, Guy Strang and Carl McParlan took out the top three placings with Natalie Kerwin following up her win from Lagoon Farm. A grade was once again won by local hero Gary Hall, but not without a challenge put up by young Woodville mountain biker Gareth Cannon, whom led for the first 2 laps after taking the hole shot from the gun and eventually finishing in 3rd place, with Hastings rider Dan Warren placing a consistent in 2nd. A huge field of 24 keen kids braved the cold and zoomed around the spiral in the 7 and under race. Heaps of cheering from all the friends and family meant there were smiles on all the faces because you can’t help but have a blast outside on your bike – am I right?? George Stent proved strongest with Dalton Lee holding on for second and Joseph Mullis in a close third. An impressive ride from Amy Nicoll placed her fourth overall. Just to test the bigger kids, they covered some extra ground with long straights and slippery leaves as well as the spiral. A smaller field of eight still meant the competition was fierce with Joshua Moroney taking the win from Karson Vesty and Toby Evans in a well-deserved third. Hirane Williams represented girl power splendidly finishing sixth. Our next race will be held on Sunday 10 August, at Roys Hill Reserve. This will be the Endura NZ Cyclocross Champs, and we will hold kids races and Allcomers racers on the day also. Entries for Endura CX Nationals close Saturday 2 August, click here to enter: http://www.cxhawkesbay.com/2014-national-champs.html

Cyclocross Hawkes Bay #3 – Lagoon Farm Race ReportSunday 6th July 2014The high winds forecast didn’t eventuate and conditions at the new venue, Lagoon Farm were clear and crisp – perfect for a great morning of racing. The course had been mowed specifically (in a twisty maze section) and utilized the old stretch of road for a fast mass start. A limestone oval track, apparently used at some stage for horse training gave a good fast stretch but this was short-lived as both A and B crossed a deep ditch multiple times before heading to a massive mud trench. This section was popular for spectators as they cheered at the efforts and resulting spectacular crashes/recoveries at this spot. Off-camber zig zags tested the riders’ skills along a bank – with the risk of a tumble into a stream making it even more exciting!A Grade: The race started off with a sprint down the drive way and a sharp right hand turn onto the course. This was one of the tougher courses designed to challenge and prevent the riders from having any rest time. The mown maze, the Heney water feature, soft mud, and vibrating straight worked the legs off everyone. Consequently there were plenty of tired and muddy athletes by the end of the race. Dan Warren was quick off the mark and took control of the race with a super-fast start leaving everyone in his wake. Gary Hall had to work hard to make up the distance created by Dan’s start, but he managed to chip away at Dan’s lead lap by lap. Gary, after resting a couple of laps on Dan’s wheel, attacked on the fourth lap and took the lead from Dan. A technical error on Dan’s part at the dirty ditch created an opportunity for Gary to break away, which he did, and this end up ensuring the win for Gary. Kieran Foley had a disappointing start but managed to work his way up from 8th position by slowly chewing the legs off his opponents to finish a very strong third. Tony Hooper and Steve Charles also had a great start and showed their form by having a solid race managing to secure fourth and fifth podium positions respectively. Janelle Bickford showed her class throughout the race but would enjoy a bit more female competition if anyone is looking to step up into the A grade. A great race everyone. B graders had a large turnout of 32 riders with a tight battle for the first three places. Podium finishers were Guy Strang (1st), Chris Shaw (2nd) and Paul Goldsbrough 3rd. Natalie Kerwin in her first cyclocross race, took out the first female placing and impressed with only narrowly missing out on a top ten placing. Cyclocross is alive and well in the younger generation after seeing the energy and enthusiasm of the Future Stars Kids races. In the 7 years and under group, a strong field of 21 young races lined up for 5mins plus a lap. A bumpy grass course that also had a change of surface to tarmac for a short burst of speed, proved popular. Sofia Vesty (first girl and first overall!) timed her finish to perfection as she overtook Joseph Mullis in the final lap. It was also a close tussle between cousins Monty Stewart and Lachie Leitch who joined Joseph on the podium in 2nd and 3rd respectively. Those kids aged 8 and above tackled a larger course which included the tricky ditch crossings that the A and B riders also rode through as well as the fast limestone track. Their endurance was tested as the 12 riders completed a lung-busting 10 minutes plus a lap. Hotly contested by all cyclocrossers the top three finishes were Joshua Moroney, followed by Karson Vesty and Sam Sheeran. Harani Williams took out the first girl in the Future Stars Senior race with impressive determination.Hawke’s Bay will also be hosting the 2014 Endura Cyclocross National Champs, August 10. More info at:http://www.cxhawkesbay.com/ 2014-national-champs.htmlOur next race will be held on Sunday 27 July at a favourite venue, Hastings Showgrounds.Click for map:Special thanks again to our supporters. Ramblers Cycling Club, Hawke’s Bay Mountain Bike Club, Specialized New Zealand, The Hub Cycle Centre, SportHB, VW Print, The Shot Coffee.

Cyclocross Hawke’s Bay Round 2 – Pettigrew CXSand and silt were the theme of day for round 2 of Cyclocross Hawke’s Bay. A single track through the river bank trees, under fallen branches, over lose sand, tight sandy hairpin turns, with a 1 meter margin of error to the swollen nearby river. Luckily no riders ended up in the water… Heavy rain the week prior had created a new kind of fun over the planned course. Most riders welcomed the new found conditions to their liking, and embraced the spectators friendly heckling from the under the tree’s. Local “Hot Shot” Gary Hall, put the pressure on early and took the lead from the start. After a tight first lap, he extended his lead and carried on to a well deserved second win of the series. Vaughn Phillpson showed his classy mountain bike skills, bunny hopping the wet fallen trees and logs that littered single track area. The race for 2nd place was once again on with Dan Warren taking a last minute kamikaze move just before the final descent into a sweeping muddy left hander, and gaining a few lengths to take the podium place just ahead of Steve Nicoll. New Gisbourne local racer Janelle Bickford took out her 2nd win in the CXHB Female section.Taupo youngster Flynn Fierro put in an impressive display of riding and skill to take out the B grade section followed by Havelock North’s Cadell Heney closely followed by local Carl McFarland. B grade once again had the biggest field of riders with 37 starters, showing this grade is going from strength to strength once riders get stung with the cyclocross addiction. Once again the 2 free races for kids of under 8 and 8-12 age groups, proved a success with the 18 starters. With medals and lollies up for grabs providing plenty of motivation to ride well before watching their parents compete in the A and B grade races.Hawke’s Bay will also be hosting the 2014 Endura Cyclocross National Champs, August 10. More info at: http://www.cxhawkesbay.com/2014-national-champs.htmlOur next race will be held on Sunday 6 July at a new venue, Lagoon Farm in Napier. Click for map:Special thanks again to our supporters. Ramblers Cycling Club, Hawke’s Bay Mountain Bike Club, Specialized New Zealand, The Hub Cycle Centre, SportHB, VW Print, The Shot Coffee.

Cyclocross Hawke’s Bay Round 2

Thank you to all of you who rode in and supported our first event at the Havelock North Domain earlier this month. We had ideal weather and many passers-by stopped to watch, some even racing home to get bicycles and ‘have a go’. Special mention goes to Ivy Stewart, CXHB’s youngest ever rider at just one year old!

Cyclocross is a sport where all generations can be represented, from tots on their ‘no-pedal’ bikes (or even in their bike trailer!) through to parents and grandparents. This is where the future of cycling is - family, fun and health... more than just the competition. We are looking forward to even better turn-outs this year! See you at the end of Guppy Road this coming Sunday for some fun beside the stop-bank.

This Week...

This coming Sunday, 22nd June, we will have our second race of the series. This will be at the end of Guppy Road in Taradale (the end nearest the river) and uses the MX track area.

Cyclocross Hawke’s Bay 2014 Round 1 Havelock North DomainHawke’s Bay turned on great weather again for the first round in Cyclocross Hawke’s Bay series. The day dawned with a good over night frost, leaving the ground firm and damp. After a few hot laps, the course turned into a hard pack race track with a few tight corners hiding in the shadows to give riders a muddy surprise. With 4 barriers located around the course, these would provide an exciting place to stand for spectators who were anticipating an upcoming crash or race changer. Once again the local skate board bowl was well utilised, giving the riders a flying experience around the tight burmed corner, then out back onto the wet grass. The parks playground which so happens to sit in a pit full of bark proved to be a challenge for many, with a few riders experiencing mishaps through here. With smiles on everyone’s faces exiting it, we are pretty sure they approved with its placement.First up in the race’s was the under 8 and 8-12 age grouped kids grades, with over 60 young riders in for a challenge and lots of determination and concentration written over their faces, these riders will prove to be the riders of the future and our next champions. Plus the lure of lollies at the end is a bonus also. This race always proves to be a favourite to watch, and a great family day out.The 55 rider strong A and B grades were run as a le mans start, with a 50m run up to the rider’s bikes. A grade started first, then B grade 1min after. This always provides a bit of fun for the spectators and gets the heart rate up for the racers! Tony Hooper took the “Hole Shot” and maintained his lead for the first lap of the technical course. From here Dan Warren took the front and rode a steady few laps until local star Gary Hall got a run over the barriers and put the power down. Gary went on to win the 15 lap race, from Steve Nicol in 2nd, and Dan Warren rounding out the podium in 3rd place. 1st place female was Janelle Bickford.The B grade field had over 35 starters, with all kinds of different styles of bikes racing. With all riders competing to be first place through the famous narrow Spiral of doom. Kieran Foley put in a fine display of riding on his single speed mountain bike to take the win, form Waipukarau local Guy Strang, and young Taupo speedster Flynn Fierro. With Laura Harris 1st female.Our next race will be held on Sunday 22 June, behind Pettigrew Green Arena in Taradale. Race start and parking will be at the end of Guppy road.

Hello Cyclocross Hawke’s Bay members and supporters It’s that time of year again. The CXHB 2014 Season is about to begin! Our first event is this coming Sunday, 8th June, at the Havelock North Domain. This is a great beginning event for spectators and riders alike. This is a flat course and is an ideal introductory course for all newcomers, but still some technical challenges for more experienced CXers. The Domain has great visibility over the entire course for all those watching the cycling. We look forward to seeing you there!

Registration From 9am A & B grade - $10 per race; school students $5 Future Stars kid's races – Free Pay the Earlybird Season rate and get the five races for the price of four. (A & B grade $40 for 5 races; school students $20 for 5 races).So come along and try this out to supplement your winter training. so bring your bike (any bike) and have a go. The first race at the Havelock North Domain this Sunday is ideal if you have never tried this before and you can use your road bike on this course. Start Times The Coffee Shot Future Stars kids’ race: under 8yrs - 10am (5 mins) – Free Entry The Coffee Shot Future Stars kids’ race: 8yrs and older - 10:10am (10 mins) – Free Entry A grade (riders who like riding FAST) - 45mins 10.30am - $10 entry B grade (riders who like having FUN) - 30mins 10.30am - $10 entry Under-15 Award This year CXHB is introducing a new award. This will be for the most-consistent male and female Under-15 rider in B grade. Endura Cyclocross National Championships This year CXHB are hosting the Endura Cyclocross National Championships. This is an extension of the CXHB series, and there is still an All-comers Event and a Kids Event for our regular riders. Venue: Roy’s Hill Reserve, Hastings Date: Sunday 10 August 2014 Registration: - CX National Competitors – pre-event registration - no on the day entry - All-comers and Kids – register and pay on the day (Race not part of CXHB season earlybird fee) Help Support CXHB The CXHB core organising team designs the races, lays out the courses, gathers in the courses, organises prizes, and ensures results are completed and available for you. If you are interested in being part of the set-up and support crew (all those pig-tails and tape don't magically grow up out of the ground), please reply to this email address expressing your availability to support the set-up crew at any time during the season, and someone will be in touch. The CXHB 2013 Season saw all generations represented, from tots on their ‘no-pedal’ bikes through to parents and grandparents all turning up to have a go at this very fun sport. This is where the future of cycling is - family, fun and health... more than just the competition. We are looking forward to even better turn-outs this year! See you at Havelock Domain this Sunday. The CXHB team For more information on the 2014 season please follow the updates at www.cxhawkesbay.comor follow us on FaceBook www.facebook.com/cyclocrosshawkesbay

Havelock North Bike Festival - Sunday 4 November

Cyclocross event, to be held the Havelock North Domain. It will contain riders jumping over barriers, weaving in and out of obstacles and a bit of running to, all within a 4-6min circuit which makes it a very spectator friendly event.

$300 cash prizes!

With races for kids, adults and pros.

Registration is from 9am, racing from 10am.

Entry is $10 for adults, and guess what kids - you are free!For more info see the links below.

Round 6 - Chesterhope Park Final

Cyclocross Hawke’s Bay will be holding the final round of the Specialized Series this Sunday 16th September, at Chesterhope Park, the racing will followed by BBQ and prize giving for the overall series points. At this stage the points table will come down to the final race which carries double points, with the top handful of riders all in contention. The course looks to be a fast lap, using part of the motocross track, weaving its way through the tracks, a bit of sand and water features thrown in for good measure. The course will provide a ideal opportunity for those who have been wanting to give Cyclocross a go. So bring a bike, any bike along and have some fun! Entry is off the Farndon road entrance, then head left under the bridge and you will see the start area. Race Location: http://goo.gl/maps/heGJ -Once again, we will have a coffee cart on hand to warm the spirits. -$10 entry -Kids race for free A number of spot prizes will be awarded for each race. Registration 9am B race 10.00am 30min (ideal first timer’s grade) Kids race's 10.45am A race 11.30am 45min We look forward to seeing you there! The CXHB team.

Round 5 - Hawke's Bay A&P Showground's

It was fast, flat and slightly less muddy than usual for round five of the Specialized Cyclocross Hawkes Bay series held at the Hawkes Bay Showground’s on Sunday 2nd September, but it still had all the excitement we have come to expect of a CXHB event. A glorious sunny day greeted the 62 riders who were brave enough to tackle the Spiral of Doom and as commentator Dylan Stewart demonstrated this term must only ever be said in a deep and dramatic voice - every time you mention it! It was reported that Dylan could even be heard at the Famers Market! The Spiral of Doom was the special feature of the course which created great spectator viewing. The riders entered the spiral clockwise, negotiated a tight turn and exited in the other direction - causing a visual experience that seriously disorientated all concerned! The 1.4km course also included a gravel pit, some tricky ditch manoeuvring as well as the standard barriers which still challenged all skill levels. The addition of a Le Mans start added to the entertainment value as riders were made to run a good distance to their bikes before starting the race. It was funny to note the number of riders who couldn’t wait for the countdown to start before they began running- they were just SO keen to go! In B grade, visitor Ludek Frydrych took the win and impressed with his speed while Hayley Davis, as consistent as ever, showed that a second cyclocross bike is fully justified in her household as she powered though in second. Jason Stent completed the podium. Surely the best cyclocross racing was seen in the hotly contested BikeX kids’ race! Previously dominated by Mitchell Heney (now racing in B grade) the racing was intense to say the least. 19 kids took on a course which consisted of riding around and around the Spiral of Doom. This caused a few pile ups but really tested the turning skills of the kids. In a true sprint finish- with all the concentration of professional riders, Ben Gouldsbrough edged out Karsen Vesty for a well-deserved win. Both riders had overcome crashes during the race and proved themselves to be forceful competitors. The Stent family were well represented in BikeX with Lochlan and Caitlin Stent taking 3rd and 4th respectfully. There was no love lost in that battle either! The encouragement from the crowd was impressive and the kids’ determination was rewarded with many spot prizes and cheering. Special mention must also go to James Hooker who not only was rewarded as the “Most Improved” rider, but must be recognised as an awesome podium example- never have we seen so many poses from one person on the winners dais! Strong racing from Gary Hall secured him another impressive win with Josh Page and Ben Ross holding the next top two spots. Mirko Zatazalo rode strongly in his first race in A grade after dominating B grade for the series.

Round 5 - Hawke's Bay A&P Showground's

Cyclocross Hawke’s Bay will be holding the 5th round of the Specialized Series this Sunday 2nd September, at Hawke’s Bay A&P Showground’s.The course will be nowhere near as muddy as the recent Blackbarn event. I think we are still finding bits of mud from that one! Instead it will be raced on a large grass paddock, weaving its way through the trees and a gravel patch. And just for fun we will include a “Spiral of Doom”! Not sure what that is? Well best you come along and find out what all the fun is about.The course will provide a ideal opportunity for those who have been wanting to give Cyclocross a go. So bring a bike, any bike along and have some fun!Race Location: http://goo.gl/maps/wbYF1-Once again, we will have a coffee cart on hand to warm the spirits. -$10 entry-Kids race for freeA number of spot prizes will be awarded for each race.Registration 9amB race 10.00am 30min (ideal first timer’s grade)Kids race's 10.45amA race 11.30am 45minWe look forward to seeing you there!The CXHB team.

Specialized Cyclocross Hawke’s Bay Round 4 was held at Blackbarn Vineyards in Havelock North. This race turned into the most epic of the series, with constant rainfall during the week, the muddy course was looking set to entrap the riders in its grasp! This was the second time Cyclocross Hawke’s Bay have been fortunate to hold a race at Blackbarn Vineyards this year. This time the race was held in reverse, so the steep uphill runs from last time, turned into steep muddy downhill sections. And surprisingly enough this is where the spectators congregated to catch a piece of the slip sliding action. In the B grade race, CXHB commentator Dylan Stewart, was keen to see what at the hype was around Cyclocross. After leading from a fast start, it turned into a 2 horse race between Steve Charles and Stewart. Charles used his triathlon running skills to close the gap and gain a 5 second lead that he never gave up to the finish. Both riders were both hooked on the format of Cyclocross and will be back for some more. Jase Kirkland (3rd), Hayley Davis (1st female), Mirko Zatazalo, Robert Taylor were all part of the chasing pack, trying to tame the mud at the same time. Rock Solid Plastering Bike X kids race, was won again by young Mitchell Heney, leading start to finish. He was chased by Ben Gouldsbrough, Barney Wardlaw to round out the podium. All of the starters in the Kids event received Ramblers Cycling Club Drink Bottles filled with lollies supplied by Rock Solid Plastering. I hope the kids gave there mum’s some lollies with all the extra muddy washing she would have had to contend with today. The A grade field lined up on the now cut up mud tracks, with this proving the strength of the riders to manoeuvre their way through the newly cut mud channels. Dan Warren took the Hole Shot and lead for the first lap, before National Champ Gary Hall took over and worked his magic. Josh Page was closely tailed by Vaughn Phillipson, Ben Ross, and Andrew Townsend. This course would prove costly to any rider who made a mistake in the tricky sections. Fiona MacDermid once again displayed her skills to be the fastest female. The next race will be held at Hawke’s Bay A and P Showground’s on 2 September. This race will be a flat event, with everyone who’s wanted to try Cyclocross invited to come out, bring the family and have a go! There will be a free Kids event also.

ROUND 3 ROYS HILL RESERVE

Specialized Cyclocross Hawke's Bay series produced the muddiest course to date! With little rain in Hawke’s Bay over the past month, the CXHB crew had to pull out all stops to create another great track. In full Belgium flavour, this included a sand trap, 44% steep gradient hill run, 150m mud/bog section, a off camber downhill slope, and a double S bend with some barriers thrown in the middle for some more CX fun! The course was situated on a old rubbish dump, and has recently been turned into a local reserve with new grass and shrub’s planted. After holding the recent National Championships in Hawke’s Bay, the spirit of Cyclocross is breeding fast with more and more interest shown in each event. B grade was once again fought out between local riders Mirko Zatezelo and Hayley Davis. With Hayley leading for the first few laps, a puncture put to rest her chances of the win today but continued on fighting to finish 7th. Mirko seized on the opportunity and soloed on for the win. Sasha Smith was the next rider home, having travelled up from down south especially for the event. Local Triathlete Bruce Lochhead rounded out the podium to finish 3rd in his first ever Cyclocross event. In the free Kids event, after receiving complaints that the last course didn’t have much mud, today’s race didn’t disappoint. With all variations of bikes, from wooden runner bikes, 16” single geared bikes, to mountain bikes trying to hold these kids back was the biggest challenge. Within the first 5 meters of the start one little chap rode straight into a fence post, jumped straight back on and powered his way into the deepest part of the mud puddle. Mitchell Heney took a flyer and rode away for the win, followed by Ben Gouldsbrough and Finn Ashe. All kids received a lollipop for there efforts. Recently crowned National Champ Gary Hall was keen to wear his new white and black NZ champ jersey, after 1 warm up lap it now included vast amounts of brown mud. Gary took a flyer in the first lap, closely followed by 2011 NZ CX champ Dan Warren, and Josh Page. Gary showed the form needed to win the title 2 weeks ago powering his way over the 2.3km course to go undefeated in 2012. Warren and Page duelled closely early on before Warren upped the pace on the 44% wall. All riders crossed the line, covered from head to toe in thick mud, but with huge smiles on everyone’s faces! It’s like being a kid again, commented 1 rider. CXHB’s next event will be 12 August and Blackbarn Vineyards in Havelock North. Results at: http://www.cxhawkesbay.com/results.html Hamilton host Round 4 of the TINELI NZCX series next Saturday, looks like they have turned on another great course for all to enjoy. http://www.nzcyclocross.co.nz/news.html

ROUND 2 SPECIALIZED NZ CX NATIONALS

108 riders from around the country battled and trudged their way around a specialist circuit in Napier today for the inaugural Specialized New Zealand Cyclo-Cross National Championships. In the elite men's race it was Hawke's Bay local Gary Hall who showed composure in winning the New Zealand title in a time of 56:53."I've never been a champion at anything so I'm absolutely wrapped," said the 36-year-old Ramblers Cycling Club rider."It was sticky, it was fast, and I was getting pushed all the way by the boys. I could feel them catching up to me on those last few laps."A meat inspector by day, Hall gave the EIT Taradale course the seal of approval, but would have preferred his hometown to turn on the rain."This is an ideal course. It would have been a lot more fun if it was wet and slippery, but every course is different and I couldn't rate this one any better," he said.The elite women's field was blessed with a superstar line up, headlined by world number two Katie Compton from the USA.As an American, Compton was ineligible to compete in the New Zealand nationals, but gave a priceless master class on the day and unofficially rode and won the race.The official winner and newly crowned New Zealand champion was 33-year-old Kim Hamer-Hurst from Upper Hutt, who crossed the line in a time of 43:48."It's absolutely amazing. I'm so stoked. In my lifetime I never expected to be handed an elite New Zealand jersey on a podium by Katie Compton so I'm amazed," she said."I think I might finally come down from all this sometime next week."The Wellington Vets Cycling Club rider relished the challenges of the obstacle-like course as well as the chance to compete alongside one of the world's best."The Hawke's Bay put on an amazing course. It had everything you need really, with some awesome off-camber power climbs which certainly I enjoyed, said Hamer-Hurst."It was a really hard course, which is probably why both the men's and women's fields just smashed apart so quickly and so many gaps opened up."It was always going to be tough with someone as good as Katie Compton on the start line so I was pretty stoked to still be in her company for the first few laps."Hamer-Hurst, a full-time doctor, earned UCI points and a national championship today. An impressive feat considering she only took up the sport last winter."I've made a lot of gains in the last few months with my training and I've been mixing it with some of the age-grade guys on the Wellington local circuit so I expected to feature but I wasn't expecting this," she said.Cyclo-Cross is run in the autumn or winter, staged over multiple laps of an approximate 3km course comprising paved tracks, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and obstacles that require the rider to dismount, carry the bike while navigating the obstruction and remount.This event was part of the ‘Ride of Your Life' Napier Festival which was held over the weekend. Other events included a criterium, bike polo, the Napier Prison Brake, BMX Big Air, Pathways Passport, and a city showcase.

ROUND 1 BLACKBARN VINEYARDS

Cyclocross Hawkes Bay's first race of the series was located at Blackbarn Winery, Havelock North. Held in beautiful sunny conditions, with rainfall softening up the track on Friday night, the course designers noticed a hidden creek bed covered in grass.The top layer of grass was soon removed, and this is where the "Love Channel" was found. A 20 meter section of pure sweet mud.For the roadies in the field, there was no escaping it. And surprisingly enough this is where most of the spectators choose to stand also. With 90 riders in all grade's, the Hawkes Bay Cyclocross scene looks to be growing from strength to strength.The free kids event attracted 40 riders, from 2 year olds up to 12 year olds. This was a awesome turnout and all having great fun on their bikes.A grade was lead from start to finish by Gary Hall who lapped all but Josh Page, in a storming ride.Angus Findlay rode well to gain 3rd place. Findlay a top Under 19 rider in NZ rate's Cyclocross as one of the most physically demanding sports.With young riders like Angus getting into Cyclocross, NZ could see a future star on the world Cyclocross scene. In the B race, Auckland rider Alister Coomer made the trip worth his while leading from the gun, and looked to use his past Cyclocross experience and made the tricky course to work to his liking.Local rider's Hayley Davis and Mirko Zatezalo, duelled it out until Davis put in the final attack and left Mirko in the mud.Cyclocross Hawke's Bay would like to thank Specialized for all there help and support for our events. It's been ideal to have a leading brand like Specialized behind the series and keen to build the Cyclocross scene in New Zealand.